According to dictionary.com courage means the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
I have found that it takes courage to live this life and as I am reading “Waking the Dead” by John Eldredge, I am finding that I am right to believe that. Since the fall of Adam and Eve we are ripe for the picking by our enemy. He is constantly trying to invade each and every area of our life. Unless we stand with courage, armed with the tools that God has given us we will fall prey to him.
I am seeing close friends battle with him right now and I am also in the midst of a raging battle. God is trying to teach me new truths, He is trying to weed my heart, and bring me into something new. Guess who doesn’t like that. Thankfully God has given me a lot of tools and more importantly friends who know the struggle and are sharing the burden of prayer.
I did a search on BibleGateway.com for the word courage and these were the verses that jumped out at me.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong, courageous, and firm; fear not nor be in terror before them, for it is the Lord your God Who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you.
Joshua 1:9
Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Nehemiah 4:14
I looked [them over] and rose up and said to the nobles and officials and the other people, Do not be afraid of the enemy; [earnestly] remember the Lord and imprint Him [on your minds], great and terrible, and [take from Him courage to] fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.
Psalm 31:24
Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!
1 Corinthians 16:13
Be alert and on your guard; stand firm in your faith ( your conviction respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, keeping the trust and holy fervor born of faith and a part of it). Act like men and be courageous; grow in strength!
My favorite is Nehemiah 4:14. That verse spoke volumes to me. We have to stand and fight for our family. We have to be ready for the fiery darts of the enemy. They will come. If we are walking with God they will come against us more often.
I want to leave you all with a thought from Graham Cooke. “I believe grace is the empowering presence of God that enables you to become the person you want to be regardless of what the enemy or life is throwing at you. So we are a people who are excited by the things that are coming against us because when anything comes against us, God automatically elevates us.”
Take courage my friends, we are not in this battle alone, God is on our side.
